Pub Date : 2025-06-28DOI: 10.1016/j.scijus.2025.101304
Geoffrey Stewart Morrison , Simon Elliott , June Guiness , Lisa Sonden , Denise Syndercombe Court
ISO 21043 is a new international standard for forensic science. It provides requirements and recommendations designed to ensure the quality of the forensic process. It includes Parts on: 1 vocabulary; 2 recovery, transport, and storage of items; 3 analysis; 4 interpretation; and 5 reporting. We provide a guide to ISO 21043 from the perspective of the forensic-data-science paradigm, which involves the use of methods that are transparent and reproducible, are intrinsically resistant to cognitive bias, use the logically correct framework for interpretation of evidence (the likelihood-ratio framework), and are empirically calibrated and validated under casework conditions. The guide focuses primarily on vocabulary, interpretation, and reporting, and on providing guidance for forensic-service providers and examiners who want to implement methods that are both consistent with the forensic-data-science paradigm and conformant with ISO 21043.
ISO 21043是一项新的法医学国际标准。它提供了旨在确保法医程序质量的要求和建议。它包括以下几个部分：1词汇；物品的回收、运输和储存；3分析;4解释;5个报告。我们从法医数据科学范式的角度提供ISO 21043指南，其中涉及使用透明和可重复的方法，本质上抵制认知偏见，使用逻辑正确的框架来解释证据（似然比框架），并在案例条件下进行经验校准和验证。该指南主要关注词汇、解释和报告，并为希望实现既符合法医数据科学范式又符合ISO 21043的方法的法医服务提供者和审查员提供指导。
{"title":"A guide to ISO 21043 Forensic Sciences from the perspective of the forensic-data-science paradigm","authors":"Geoffrey Stewart Morrison , Simon Elliott , June Guiness , Lisa Sonden , Denise Syndercombe Court","doi":"10.1016/j.scijus.2025.101304","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.scijus.2025.101304","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>ISO 21043 is a new international standard for forensic science. It provides requirements and recommendations designed to ensure the quality of the forensic process. It includes Parts on: 1 vocabulary; 2 recovery, transport, and storage of items; 3 analysis; 4 interpretation; and 5 reporting. We provide a guide to ISO 21043 from the perspective of the forensic-data-science paradigm, which involves the use of methods that are transparent and reproducible, are intrinsically resistant to cognitive bias, use the logically correct framework for interpretation of evidence (the likelihood-ratio framework), and are empirically calibrated and validated under casework conditions. The guide focuses primarily on vocabulary, interpretation, and reporting, and on providing guidance for forensic-service providers and examiners who want to implement methods that are both consistent with the forensic-data-science paradigm and conformant with ISO 21043.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49565,"journal":{"name":"Science & Justice","volume":"65 5","pages":"Article 101304"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2025-06-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144672563","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-06-20DOI: 10.1016/j.scijus.2025.101283
Zhenwen Sun , Jun Zhu , Puzheng Qiao , Guannan Zhang , Zhanfang Liu , Zheng Zhou , Jili Zheng , Yuanfeng Wang , Yao Liu
Homemade explosives (HMEs) present significant challenges to forensic investigations due to their diverse chemical compositions and varying construction methods. Identifying the origin of these explosives is crucial for linking evidence across crime scenes. To address this challenge, this study employs an advanced data mining technique to enhance the forensic analysis of a unique dataset consisting of 344 HME samples collected from 129 real cases in China over an eight-year period (2015–2022). The samples were initially categorized based on their functional roles – main charge, initiator, or precursor/other – and analyzed using standardized forensic methods. Given the complexity of certain mixtures and the limitations of expert-based interpretation, Association Rule Mining (ARM) was subsequently employed to uncover hidden patterns in the chemical profiles. By interpreting the ARM findings, the study revealed valuable insights into the common “recipes” used by bomb-makers in China, identified frequently co-occurring components, and provided new forensic signatures that could potentially link different cases. Furthermore, the ARM-generated rules suggested likely HME ingredients and construction methods, even when only partial samples were recovered. To our knowledge, this study represents the most comprehensive forensic analysis of HMEs in China to date. It has great potential to contribute to international efforts in combating terrorism and other crimes involving the use of HMEs.
{"title":"Decoding the complexity of homemade explosives: Forensic insights from association rule mining on 344 Chinese Case Samples","authors":"Zhenwen Sun , Jun Zhu , Puzheng Qiao , Guannan Zhang , Zhanfang Liu , Zheng Zhou , Jili Zheng , Yuanfeng Wang , Yao Liu","doi":"10.1016/j.scijus.2025.101283","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.scijus.2025.101283","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Homemade explosives (HMEs) present significant challenges to forensic investigations due to their diverse chemical compositions and varying construction methods. Identifying the origin of these explosives is crucial for linking evidence across crime scenes. To address this challenge, this study employs an advanced data mining technique to enhance the forensic analysis of a unique dataset consisting of 344 HME samples collected from 129 real cases in China over an eight-year period (2015–2022). The samples were initially categorized based on their functional roles – main charge, initiator, or precursor/other – and analyzed using standardized forensic methods. Given the complexity of certain mixtures and the limitations of expert-based interpretation, Association Rule Mining (ARM) was subsequently employed to uncover hidden patterns in the chemical profiles. By interpreting the ARM findings, the study revealed valuable insights into the common “recipes” used by bomb-makers in China, identified frequently co-occurring components, and provided new forensic signatures that could potentially link different cases. Furthermore, the ARM-generated rules suggested likely HME ingredients and construction methods, even when only partial samples were recovered. To our knowledge, this study represents the most comprehensive forensic analysis of HMEs in China to date. It has great potential to contribute to international efforts in combating terrorism and other crimes involving the use of HMEs.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49565,"journal":{"name":"Science & Justice","volume":"65 5","pages":"Article 101283"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2025-06-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144548578","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-06-18DOI: 10.1016/j.scijus.2025.101303
Li-Xue Wang , Ya-Bin Zhao
As a critical frontier in forensic science, the profiling of physical evidence characteristics has garnered substantial attention. This study employed gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC–MS) to investigate age-related differences in sebaceous fingermark fatty acid compositions. Fingermark samples from 80 volunteers were analyzed to characterize fatty acid profiles across different age groups. Non-parametric tests were used to identify target fatty acids with significant age-dependent variations, followed by comparative evaluation of unsupervised (PCA) and supervised (RBF, MLP) classification models to develop a high-accuracy age prediction framework. Results revealed distinct fatty acid trends with age: younger donors predominantly exhibited saturated fatty acids with carbon numbers ≤ 10; mid-chain saturated fatty acids (C10–C20) showed minimal age-related variation; and long-chain fatty acids (C ≥ 20) were more abundant in older donors. Significant age-group differences were identified for octanoic acid, decanoic acid, palmitoleic acid, palmitic acid, oleic acid, stearic acid, behenic acid, and tetracosanoic acid. The multi-layer perceptron (MLP) model achieved an overall accuracy of 84.6 %, outperforming other algorithms in age classification. This study enhances the understanding of age-related lipid dynamics in sebaceous fingermarks and establishes a robust analytical pipeline for forensic age profiling, offering practical implications for criminal investigation and biometric identification.
{"title":"Age characterization of donor based on fatty acid substances analysis in fingermarks","authors":"Li-Xue Wang , Ya-Bin Zhao","doi":"10.1016/j.scijus.2025.101303","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.scijus.2025.101303","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>As a critical frontier in forensic science, the profiling of physical evidence characteristics has garnered substantial attention. This study employed gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC–MS) to investigate age-related differences in sebaceous fingermark fatty acid compositions. Fingermark samples from 80 volunteers were analyzed to characterize fatty acid profiles across different age groups. Non-parametric tests were used to identify target fatty acids with significant age-dependent variations, followed by comparative evaluation of unsupervised (PCA) and supervised (RBF, MLP) classification models to develop a high-accuracy age prediction framework. Results revealed distinct fatty acid trends with age: younger donors predominantly exhibited saturated fatty acids with carbon numbers ≤ 10; mid-chain saturated fatty acids (C10–C20) showed minimal age-related variation; and long-chain fatty acids (C ≥ 20) were more abundant in older donors. Significant age-group differences were identified for octanoic acid, decanoic acid, palmitoleic acid, palmitic acid, oleic acid, stearic acid, behenic acid, and tetracosanoic acid. The multi-layer perceptron (MLP) model achieved an overall accuracy of 84.6 %, outperforming other algorithms in age classification. This study enhances the understanding of age-related lipid dynamics in sebaceous fingermarks and establishes a robust analytical pipeline for forensic age profiling, offering practical implications for criminal investigation and biometric identification.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49565,"journal":{"name":"Science & Justice","volume":"65 5","pages":"Article 101303"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2025-06-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144331394","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-06-16DOI: 10.1016/j.scijus.2025.101302
Veronica M. Cappas , Reena Roy , Emily R. Davenport , Dan G. Sykes
Given that a variety of factors can affect the decomposition process, it can be difficult to determine the post-mortem interval (PMI). The process is highly dependent on microbial activity, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are a by-product of this activity. Given both have been proposed to assist in PMI determination, a deeper understanding of this relationship is needed. The current study investigates the temporal evolution of the microbiome and VOC profile of a decomposing human analog (swine) in a controlled, indoor environment. Microbial communities were sampled at six-time points up to the active decay phase (72 swabs in total). VOC headspace samples were collected every six hours with six sampling times in common with the swab times. Sampling locations included the abdominal area, anus, right ear canal, and right nostril. Bacterial communities were found to significantly change during decomposition (p < 0.001), and communities shifted differently based on sample location. The families Moraxellaceae, Planococcaceae, Lactobacillaceae, and Staphylococcaceae drove these community shifts. From random forest analysis, the nostril sampling location was determined to be the best location to predict stage of decomposition. Individual VOCs exhibited large temporal shifts through decomposition stage in contrast to smaller shifts when evaluated based on functional groups. Finally, pairwise linear regression models between abdominal area bacteria and selected VOCs were assessed; Planococcaceae and Tissierellaceae were significantly correlated to indole. Overall, this study provides an exploratory analysis to support the connection between the microbiome, VOCs, and their relationship throughout decomposition.
{"title":"The microbiome and volatile organic compounds reflecting the state of decomposition in an indoor environment","authors":"Veronica M. Cappas , Reena Roy , Emily R. Davenport , Dan G. Sykes","doi":"10.1016/j.scijus.2025.101302","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.scijus.2025.101302","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Given that a variety of factors can affect the decomposition process, it can be difficult to determine the post-mortem interval (PMI). The process is highly dependent on microbial activity, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are a by-product of this activity. Given both have been proposed to assist in PMI determination, a deeper understanding of this relationship is needed. The current study investigates the temporal evolution of the microbiome and VOC profile of a decomposing human analog (swine) in a controlled, indoor environment. Microbial communities were sampled at six-time points up to the active decay phase (72 swabs in total). VOC headspace samples were collected every six hours with six sampling times in common with the swab times. Sampling locations included the abdominal area, anus, right ear canal, and right nostril. Bacterial communities were found to significantly change during decomposition (p < 0.001), and communities shifted differently based on sample location. The families Moraxellaceae, Planococcaceae, Lactobacillaceae, and Staphylococcaceae drove these community shifts. From random forest analysis, the nostril sampling location was determined to be the best location to predict stage of decomposition. Individual VOCs exhibited large temporal shifts through decomposition stage in contrast to smaller shifts when evaluated based on functional groups. Finally, pairwise linear regression models between abdominal area bacteria and selected VOCs were assessed; Planococcaceae and Tissierellaceae were significantly correlated to indole. Overall, this study provides an exploratory analysis to support the connection between the microbiome, VOCs, and their relationship throughout decomposition.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49565,"journal":{"name":"Science & Justice","volume":"65 5","pages":"Article 101302"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2025-06-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144331393","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-06-14DOI: 10.1016/j.scijus.2025.101301
Sthabile Shabalala, Nuhaa Ismail, Meenu Ghai
A compound marker integrates two or more genetic markers into a single assay. The application of compound markers enhances the predictive accuracy of genetic testing by leveraging the strengths of different genetic variations while mitigating the limitations of individual markers.
Compound markers include SNP-SNPs, SNP-STRs, DIP-SNPs, DIP-STRs, Multi-In/Dels, CpG-SNPs, CpG-STRs/CpG-In/Del, and Methylation-Microhaplotypes. Currently, no commercially available multiplex kit can amplify two or more different genetic markers simultaneously in a single reaction. Though compound marker panels for next-generation sequencing (NGS) platforms have been designed, however, reports are scarce on compound markers for genetic studies at a global scale, particularly for African populations. The African population is the most genetically diverse, but is underrepresented due to funding constraints and the need for novel techniques to address diverse and admixed ancestral backgrounds. With the emerging application of NGS in forensic investigations, human identification is not limited to traditional STR typing, as a single NGS run can simultaneously target autosomal STRs, sex determination markers, SNP markers, and InDel/DIP markers. Additional applications of compound markers include mixture deconvolution, detection of minor donors in unbalanced DNA samples, paternity testing, amplification of highly degraded DNA samples and inference of biogeographic ancestry.
The workflow of genotyping compound markers through CE and NGS has not yet been integrated into forensic laboratories because it requires the development and internal validation of genetic markers and analytical protocols. Furthermore, it is essential to address the ethical and legal considerations related to the responsible use of genetic data generated from compound markers. The current review explores the application of compound markers, identification of new micro and macrohaplotypes, and considerations for integrating NGS to facilitate forensic investigations.
{"title":"Forensic applications of compound genetic markers: trends and future directions","authors":"Sthabile Shabalala, Nuhaa Ismail, Meenu Ghai","doi":"10.1016/j.scijus.2025.101301","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.scijus.2025.101301","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>A compound marker integrates two or more genetic markers into a single assay. The application of compound markers enhances the predictive accuracy of genetic testing by leveraging the strengths of different genetic variations while mitigating the limitations of individual markers.</div><div>Compound markers include SNP-SNPs, SNP-STRs, DIP-SNPs, DIP-STRs, Multi-In/Dels, CpG-SNPs, CpG-STRs/CpG-In/Del, and Methylation-Microhaplotypes. Currently, no commercially available multiplex kit can amplify two or more different genetic markers simultaneously in a single reaction. Though compound marker panels for next-generation sequencing (NGS) platforms have been designed, however, reports are scarce on compound markers for genetic studies at a global scale, particularly for African populations. The African population is the most genetically diverse, but is underrepresented due to funding constraints and the need for novel techniques to address diverse and admixed ancestral backgrounds. With the emerging application of NGS in forensic investigations, human identification is not limited to traditional STR typing, as a single NGS run can simultaneously target autosomal STRs, sex determination markers, SNP markers, and InDel/DIP markers. Additional applications of compound markers include mixture deconvolution, detection of minor donors in unbalanced DNA samples, paternity testing, amplification of highly degraded DNA samples and inference of biogeographic ancestry.</div><div>The workflow of genotyping compound markers through CE and NGS has not yet been integrated into forensic laboratories because it requires the development and internal validation of genetic markers and analytical protocols. Furthermore, it is essential to address the ethical and legal considerations related to the responsible use of genetic data generated from compound markers. The current review explores the application of compound markers, identification of new micro and macrohaplotypes, and considerations for integrating NGS to facilitate forensic investigations.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49565,"journal":{"name":"Science & Justice","volume":"65 5","pages":"Article 101301"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2025-06-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144313265","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2025-06-09DOI: 10.1016/j.scijus.2025.101300
I.S. Perecin , Marna Eliana Sakalem , Leandro Luis Martins
The identification of wildlife animal species using skeletal remains is of utmost importance in the fight against illegal hunting. In order to achieve assertive identification, the use of reliable and accessible techniques is mandatory. The present study evaluates radiography and maceration techniques for successful species identification of seized material in Santa Catarina, Southern Brazil. The identification was conducted following a protocol developed by the Forensic Science Police of Santa Catarina, and contains cases of multiple mammalian and avian species, and methods were compared regarding precision, demanded time, and cost. A total of 11 different species were identified using the protocol. The results indicate that both radiography and maceration were effective to identify most of the seized material, and additional DNA analysis was necessary in very few cases. In addition, the identification using radiography was faster, and precise for most cases, while presenting low-cost to be conducted. This study underscores the applicability of radiography and maceration in forensic investigations and highlights their potential for broader forensic applications. Additionally, such methodologies are expected to be widely disseminated and standardized for other expert contexts.
{"title":"Protocol developed by the Forensic Science Police of Santa Catarina, Brazil, for identifying wildlife animal species in seized material","authors":"I.S. Perecin , Marna Eliana Sakalem , Leandro Luis Martins","doi":"10.1016/j.scijus.2025.101300","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.scijus.2025.101300","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The identification of wildlife animal species using skeletal remains is of utmost importance in the fight against illegal hunting. In order to achieve assertive identification, the use of reliable and accessible techniques is mandatory. The present study evaluates radiography and maceration techniques for successful species identification of seized material in Santa Catarina, Southern Brazil. The identification was conducted following a protocol developed by the Forensic Science Police of Santa Catarina, and contains cases of multiple mammalian and avian species, and methods were compared regarding precision, demanded time, and cost. A total of 11 different species were identified using the protocol. The results indicate that both radiography and maceration were effective to identify most of the seized material, and additional DNA analysis was necessary in very few cases. In addition, the identification using radiography was faster, and precise for most cases, while presenting low-cost to be conducted. This study underscores the applicability of radiography and maceration in forensic investigations and highlights their potential for broader forensic applications. Additionally, such methodologies are expected to be widely disseminated and standardized for other expert contexts.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":49565,"journal":{"name":"Science & Justice","volume":"65 5","pages":"Article 101300"},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2025-06-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144262538","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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